Sparks Fly, Sparks Vanish
by Allison Diamond
Summary: Five different methods of storytelling intertwine to unfold a hilarious tale of the ups of downs of romance. Eric and Jackie are thrown into a whirlpool of romance.
1. Flash Shot - Just Delightful

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own That' 70s Show or any of its characters. _

* * *

**Flash shot - Just Delightful **

"This is nice," Jackie said, as Eric pulled out a chair for her.

Eric grinned evilly and nodded. "No snarky comments? No badass nicknames?"

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Don't push it, Forman. This is what, our fifth date?" she asked, lifting the glass to her lips. "Since, we're seeing each other, I figure to ease up on the insults."

"Oh, is that so? Aren't you going to offer me a drink?"

"You invited me over, so get one yourself." Her hands rimmed around the glass.

"The bitchiness remains."

He reached for the bottle, poured himself a glass of champagne, and took a seat beside her. He took a sip and washed down the liquid with a slice of pie. Just when he was savoring the thick cream and luscious strawberry jam, his hair was damped with wine.

"As I said earlier, the bitchiness remains."

"Forman, say that one more time, and you'll be sorry."

That's Jackie Burkhart, he thought, as a chuckle escaped from his throat. As fun as it would be to push her buttons, he wasn't going to gamble it, not when they were actually getting somewhere. The four dates before, she had strangled him, tried to poison him with her awful cooking, forced him to watch those dreadful chick flicks, and worst of all, took him on a shopping spree.

For the remaining of the night, Eric received sinister looks from Jackie, but he blew them away.


	2. Short Short - Secret Door

**Short Short**** - Secret Door**

Jackie fumbled in her purse for her compact mirror. She checked herself out, to see if her makeup was ruined, since she rushed out her flat. That was very unlike her, but being forgetful could result into major conflicts. The tickets to the wine tasting event would go to a waste if she was late, and she worked hard to get them. At the time, receiving wine tasting tickets weren't expected, but tickets to the fashion gala. Yet, she made do with what she received.

Eyeliner not smeared, check. Lipstick still the dazzling tint of pink, check. Mascara darken and added volume to lashes, check.

She pushed the buzzer. "Eric, it's Jackie." She stomped her feet on the mat. The mat, a soft shade of blue, had "Welcome" written on it in a decorative system of flower engravement. Real classic, Eric. Flowers? Are you really into flowers? She laughed at his taste.

As her feet went forward to stomp on the rug, she felt a sharp object coming in contact with the soles of her plum heels. Lifting the rug up, there laid a metallic key, tied with other keys. Picking it up, a jingling sound was created, and she couldn't help but grin. Oh, Eric, that was the worst hiding place of all time.

She inserted the key in the lock, it fell into place. The first attempt was a success. She performed a victory dance in her head.

She climbed up the steps, and she huffed, the stairs felt interminable. How can Eric live here with those mountain stairs? Then again, it was Eric Forman, and he was a peculiar man. Finally, after what felt like decades, she arrived upstairs, and was greeted by an ajar door. She went in, dropped her purse on the table, and went to search for Eric.

Instead of finding him, she saw a locked door. Her fingers worked their magic at the knob: tugging, pulling, pushing. To no luck, the door wouldn't acquiesced to her constant attacks.

"What are you doing?"

She dropped her hands to her side. "Trying to open that damn door? What did you put in there? Seal it with a magical curse? Like voodoo," she grumbled under her breath. "What's in that room? Your sci-fi collection of war dolls and comics?"

He raised an eyebrow at her anger-fused questions.

"How did you get in?"

"The keys." She jingled them. "Hiding them under the mat is very common. Doesn't take a genius to figure that out. You didn't answer my questions!" She glared at him angrily.

"I happen to think that's a good hiding spot." It was stupid to defend his hiding spot, but he felt compelled to do just that. "You really want to know the secret behind the door? It opens the gateway to an alternative world, where people like you aren't welcome."

She smacked him hard across his cheeks. He gently massaged his cheeks to ease the pain. "I see you haven't changed a bit. If you're so inclined, then I've no choice to let you in my most prized possession."

Prized possession? What the hell is he talking about now?

Eric left and returned with a special set of keys. As the key was inserted, the lock turned around and made a creaking sound. Her eyes took in the sight before her, it was a wine collection. Eric collected wines?

"After the divorce, I busied myself collecting some of the best wines. I started out cheap." His words held a proud feel. "That's why I was so thrilled when you invited me to the wine tasting event your boss was hosting."

Her hand rimmed around the bottle. "Is this a 1978 Giacomo Conterno Monfortino?" She gasped. "I don't really know a great deal about wine, but my boss loves this one."

He laughed and stated, "Yes, that's the one. It's blended with lovely Nebbiola grapes, and has a lovely texture of dark fruits."

"Where is the Eric Forman I grew up to hate?"

"Still here, just has different taste now. The nerdy universe is still here. What 'bout you? Considering, you asked me out."

"Oh Forman, don't take comfort in that. I'm nonetheless the same 'ole Jackie, who loves to kick your ass."

That's right, Forman, take that in, Jackie laughed.

"I knew it was too good to be true." He sulked.

She sighed before continuing, "I'm sorry about the wine incident last week."

"Jackie Buckhart is apologizing? Isn't this something?" He laughed. "Why don't you stop with the "Forman" name calling."

"It's too good to give up. But since we are seeing each other and all, I could drop it. Yet, I simply don't want to." She paused, a smirk on her face. "Forman, how about we cancel the wine tasting and have one of our own? It's practically the same thing."

"Eric sounded so good, rather than just Forman."

"So, what do you say, Forman?"

"I don't know, these wines are very dear to me. I can't waste them like that. I want to cherish them for a long time."

"Forman, if you don't do it, I'll make your day very miserable." There was an evil glint in her brown eyes.

"Threatening is really outdated. Even with that, I guess I've no option but to give in." He sighed.

"Wait until I tell Donna about this."

"Wait, I thought we decided to keep quiet around this whole relationship thing. You know, until we are really certain this is going somewhere."

"Sure, whatever you want, Forman."

"Quit the "Forman" name-calling. It's getting very old."

"Forman, Forman, Forman. I can say it as long as I want," she teased.

"Stop it."

Wine tasting will have to wait until she drops the name-calling, Eric thought, if there was ever a slight possibility of that happening.


	3. Flash Fic - Wines

**Flash Fic- Wines**

"Eric, what about this one?" Jackie pulled out the wine from the cellar.

He lifted an eyebrow at her request. "No. Just choose another one."

She rolled her eyes. "This is the sixth bottle that you've rejected so far," she said, arms crossed. "Why don't you pick a damn bottle already?"

"These wines are priceless. I've to choose one that is best for the occasion."

"Best for the occasion? This is a wine tasting, which requires more than one wine. I suggest that you pick several bottles." She paused. "Or else I'm going to take all of them and have a blast."

He dropped the comic on the table. "I can't let you get drunk."

"Drunk? Are you joking?"

He laughed. "Jackie, alcohol don't blend that well with you. There was that incident -"

"That was different. It was a party."

"As you say." He held out his hands in defeat.

"Forman, this looks promising." She pointed to a dark bottle.

"Jackie, put that back. It's very expensive."

She clutched on the bottle tightly. "No, it can't be worth more than fifty dollars."

"Oh, it's more expensive than that."

"How much? Six hundred dollars."

"Closer to that price range."

She bit her lips. "Crap, you wasted all that money on a wine?"

"It's worth every penny," Eric said defensively.

She smiled serenely. "I'm sure, it is. But we won't know until we try it?"


	4. Short Story - Of Pancakes and Disasters

**Short Story - Of Pancakes and Disasters**

Eric dumped the content in the batter. Flour, butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate pieces, vanilla extract, coffee, he read off the list. All of the ingredients were already in the bowl, and now, he just had to mix them together. That should be a piece of cake.

He stirred the content with the spoon until it reached a swirly watery shape. Pleased with himself, he gave himself a pat on the back. At ease, he turned on the stove, switched it from high to medium heat, poured olive oil in the pan. And waited for the oil to heat up.

Bored with waiting, he took out a comic and started to read. Engrossed in the comic, the scorching heat from the fire went undetected by him. Smoke reached his nostrils, that immediately got his attention. In a panic mode, the comic dropped from his hands, and he paced around. Finally, he came to his senses, and switched the stove off. Then he started all over again.

This time, his eyes were glued to the stove. When the oil began to bubble, it was time to pour the content inside the pan. So, he measured the batter exactly like Kitty said, and warily, he poured a spoonful in the pan. When it reached a golden brown, he turned it around, and did the same a second time.

The pancakes looked delicious, he thought, Jackie would be pleased. It wasn't as if he cared, but it was a brunch date, and it was the first time, he actually stepped into a kitchen to make something.

His mother was a hellish of a cook, she made anything taste good. He bet she could make cardboard taste like drips of chocolate sprinkled on a cupcake. Thinking of her cooking gave him delightful chills. When it wasn't his mother that cooked for him, it used to be Donna. Donna wasn't a fantastic cook, but she could make a killer meatloaf.

Marriage to Donna wasn't such a bad thing, it had its ups and downs like any other marriage. She was his first love, his first at everything, and he didn't mind. When they first started dating, he admitted at times, he was scared of her. She possessed a bossy attitude and was very strong for a girl her age. Yet, in time, he accepted her quirks, and so did she.

Living with her under the same roof surfaced up more problems that he would like to admit. Donna had turned into an independent woman, workaholic, party animal; she rarely spent any quality time with him. Some of her older characteristics she kept. Eric saw her in the mornings and in the nights when she returned from a hectic day at work or whatever she did.

The sparks were no longer there, the sex lost its magic, the talks shortened, the amusement died out. Gradually, they drifted away, and that was when they decided to do something about their marriage. They tried everything: counseling, making time for each other, igniting the spark in their romance. Nothing worked. The best solution was a divorce, and sometimes he regretted it, but she was happier and so was he. It was a smart and successful move.

Crap, he glanced at his wristwatch, Jackie was going to be here any minute now. The kitchen was a mess, the dishes were piling up, the flour was scattered on the counter, chocolate pieces were scattered across the floor. He exited the room and returned with cleaning supplies. Quickly, he swept the room to a sparkly clean, wiped the counter to a dazzling cream, washed the dishes to a shiny white.

He lowered his gaze to his shirt; his shirt was ruined with soap foams and chocolate stains. Great, another bath had to be taken. Throwing the gloves in the bin, he rushed into the bathroom. He laddered himself with soap until he felt squeaky clean.

Everything was done, right? The package glared at him. He forgot about the tablecloth he borrowed from his mother. Impatiently, he tore it open, and was rewarded with an elegant shade of yellow with red roses. As he battled with the tablecloth, a button on his shirt fell off. He ignored the missing button, it wasn't that big of a deal. Plus, time was running out, and she was going to be here any minute now.

What was he doing? Eric pulled down the cloth until it was evenly on both sides, gently rubbed his hands across it until the creases disappeared. The vase looked bare on the table. It needed flowers, so off he went to find flowers. Any flowers. He returned and placed a bunch of horrible smelling flowers in the vase. To cover up the smell, colon was sprayed on them. That should do the trick.

The table looked wonderful with the kitchen utensils, the batch of freshly cooked pancakes, freshly squeezed orange juice, syrup, butter, fresh batch of coffee and sugar.

Beep, beep, beep, went the phone.

"Hello, this is Eric Forman. How can I help you?"

"Eric, I've been ringing that broken bell of yours for a good ten minutes now," Jackie yelled as if she was actually in front of him. "And, what did you do with that key of yours? It's not under the mat."

Eric moved the phone a few inches away from his ears. "Oh, I've heard. I'll get if fixed as soon as I can. I had to move the key, the neighbor's mischievous boys found it. I can't believe it. It was the perfect hiding spot."

"Of course, it is. Can you open the door, or do I have to kick it open?"

"Kick it open? You? You would break your precious heels. Probably even injured yourself," he teased.

"Don't push my limits. I'm trying to be nice to you, and this is what I get." She sounded furious like waking up a sleeping kitten.

"Okay, I'll be there. You don't have to get so worked up."

"Forman," she screamed into the phone.

**_OoOoO_**

Eric was greeted by the sight of a very angry Jackie. She dropped her purse on the table and glared at him.

"You look nice." He faked a smile.

She screamed, "Nice? My hair has twigs in it." She pulled out a twig. "That stupid dog of yours chased me into a pile of leaves."

"Actually, Pandora's a dog of a friend. I don't know how she managed to get outside." He rubbed his chin in confusion. "So, do you want to go clean yourself up? The bathroom is on the left of the bedroom," he said, then slowed down when he received a dirty look from Jackie. He continued, "I'm sure you knew that, seeing that you were here multiple times."

"Of course, I know where the bathroom is, you idiot. Keep that mutt away from me. I can't believe you agreed to dog-sit on our date!"

"Well, I had no choice. Plus, Michael took his family on a vacation. So, she's stuck with me until then."

"I knew the dog looked familiar. It's Betsy's dog."

"Jackie, you know, it's rude to refer to a dog or anything by its classification. She has a name: Pandora," he finished.

A soft laughter escaped from her throat. "Is that so? If that's the case, your name is Dr. Pee Pee from now."

"That's Laurie's nickname for me. You promised to drop the name-calling."

"I changed my mind. I gathered all of the nicknames of yours, and will use it to my victory."

He raised an eyebrow. "Victory? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, you wait and see."

"Whatever happened to being mature adults?" he droned.

"It's boring, and we never had a good relationship. It's a pity to mess up such a good thing," she went on. "We work best when we playfully joked with each other. C'mon, Dr. Pee Pee, you know that?"

He held back his anger. "Don't call me that. I, for one, believed in maturity. Nothing will ever change my mind. Jackie, we aren't kids anymore. I'm almost thirty-one." He sighed.

"What does age have to do with fun? Just because we are older doesn't mean we should be restricted from having fun," she let out. "Lighten up." She playfully punched him.

"That part of my life is over now. It's neatly packed up and stored away." He shooed her away as to indicate his words.

"Oh, Eric, when did you get so boring than before?" she inquired, lifting an eyebrow up.

He defended himself. "I was never boring, and still am not. Wonder where you got that ridiculous idea from."

"Really? You're always watching those bland sci-fi movies, playing with those stupid toys, and reading those comics. If that's not boring, then I don't know what boring is."

"You enjoy the latest fashion trends, and that's fine. I enjoy everything related to comics, and that's fine too." He flashed her a smile.

"Fashion should never be compared to geeky stuffs." She glared at him. "Aren't you going to defend your geeky stuffs?"

"I don't need to. I'm too old for these useless debates."

"We will see about that," she threw out.

She laughed and went to the bathroom.

_**OoOoO**_

Jackie returned from the bathroom, free from the twigs and leaves.

"I feel so much better now," she said, "that the twigs are out of my hair."

Eric looked up from the couch, the dog nestled against his lap. Jackie threw him a dirty look, but he brushed it off. He pointed to the sleeping dog.

"Eric, I thought this is supposed to a brunch date? And I was your date, not that creature - Pandora."

"I thought my name was Dr. Pee Pee from now?" He arched an eyebrow. "You're learning."

"I was joking before, but if you really want me to call you that, I won't hesitate to." She crossed her hands over her hip.

"Don't. I hate that name. Laurie always teased me, and that was one of her creations. Horrible." He shuddered at the thought.

"You hate her, don't you?"

"Laurie? No, we just have a sibling rivalry."

She moved closer to him. "Can you move that dog - Pandora - away from you?"

He stared at her. "Why? She's sleeping peacefully. I can't disturb her. Waking her up is like inviting Darth Vader over."

"You're scared of a dog? She isn't even that big. Who's Darth Vader?"

He held his head in his hands. "Jackie, remember when we watched..." he drifted off.

"Maybe I can do something about that dog. I hope she doesn't try anything crazy like last time."

"You weren't watching the movie, were you? And you weren't listening to me, either?" Why didn't he find it that hard to believe?

Jackie bit her lips. "You got me there. It was just too boring for my likes. The voices alone kill the mood. We should have watched Grease or Jaws."

"I've watched those movies many times. Speaking of that, I watched those movies with you mostly," he replied. "I guess Jaws is fine, but the Star Wars franchise beats all!" Pride swelled up in his chest.

Only you would think that, she cringed at his lack of taste for good movies.

She did a quick head count. "We watched the same movie for three times in a row."

"Actually, we watched three different movies in the franchise," he whispered, as to not disturb Pandora.

She rolled her eyes. "They all looked the same to me."

"That was because you weren't watching the movies."

Suddenly, Pandora began to stir; he signaled for Jackie to be quiet. Pandora opened her eyes, and licked his face gently. Jackie scrunched up her face at the gesture. After licking Eric's face, Pandora moved to the rug, and fell asleep again.

"Is she a dog or a cat?" Jackie asked, her gaze adverted to the dog's location.

"What's that supposed to mean? Of course, she's a dog. She has the furs to prove it." Defending a dog that he barely knew was a stupid thing, but Jackie really irked him.

"Cats have fur too. She sleeps a lot, and cats do that." She spoke in a calm voice.

It would be smart not to speak, or else he would be bombarded with more questions, questions that would be consider rhetorical. So, he did just that. She stopped bothering him too. It was a win-win situation. It dawned on him, he forgot that the reason she was here was for a brunch date. And it was 1:00 pm, he made the outline of the time on his watch. He was beyond screwed.

_**OoOoO**_

Quickly, Eric warmed the pancakes up, made a fresh batch of coffee, then invited Jackie over.

When Jackie caught a glimpse of the tablecloth, she couldn't help but laugh. It was the same flower pattern engraved from the mat. Eric really must like flowers, she decided, it doesn't make any sense otherwise. Impressive, she thought, Eric went through a great deal to make this brunch divine. She'll be the judge of that.

As she was about to take a seat, he lifted a chair out for her, which she gladly accepted. My, my, Eric Forman was behaving like a perfect gentleman. You don't see that every day, she laughed.

The brunch looked promising. The pancakes smelled delicious, the whiff of coffee made her giggly, and the orange juice was a great addition. It was just like a simple brunch, nothing too exquisite. Even with that, she was wary of the food before her, many awful thoughts surpassed her. What if Eric mixed up weird ingredients together to create this... meal. This was the first time, he actually cooked, and she was his guinea pig. Jackie Buckhart was Eric's guinea pig? Then again, it would be rude not to eat anything after he went through all that trouble.

His gaze lingered on her. Hesitantly, she lifted her fork up, and shoved a tiny pit of the pancake in her mouth. It was dry, very dry. Something was missing, she could sense it. She swallowed it down and tried to remember what was missing. Eggs? No, she could taste the eggs. Yuck! Flour? No, it gave it a kind of fluffy look. Then what? When Mrs. Forman made it, it tasted different. Like a dash of rainbow. Well, it tasted delicious and she could taste the love. A good cook could do that to anyone.

Eric forgot to mix the ingredients to a perfect smooth tone. The raw eggs were a reminder of that. Also, it was as if he threw the ingredients at once without much thought. From what she gathered from her cooking lessons with Mrs. Forman, a cook never does that. It told the difference from a good meal from a bad one. No wonder, it tasted so horrible. As the second bite reached her taste buds, she wanted to throw up, but his cheerful expression made her keep it in. She owed him this much for cooking for her. He never cooked for anyone before, not even Donna, so this was an honor.

Eric broke the silence. "So, how was it?" He sounded like a kid.

She didn't think honesty was the best policy in this case. "It was wonderful." She hoped he didn't spot the lies in her words.

"Are you sure? I'd rather you be honest, than lie blatantly to my face." His face hardened.

"I wasn't lying, Eric. It's wonderful, really." Since, when was she bad at lying? This had never happened to her before.

He dropped his hands on his lap. "I never said that, Jackie, you're reading into it too much. I just prefer honesty than sugar-coated words," he finished off.

"Sugar-coated is a bit too harsh, don't you think? Most people call them white lies," she added, aggravated.

"So, you're lying?" He sighed. "I knew it. From the minute, the oil burned."

"What are you talking about? The pancakes are delicious."

Eric said, "If they are so delicious, why not eat another? And another?" he challenged.

"I'm quite full, actually." She chuckled. "Maybe a next time, okay?"

"But I insist. Just one more. Will you look at that? You have hardly taken a bite out of yours? Why don't you finished eating it? It's delicious, absolutely yummy. After all, you said so yourself. So, what are you waiting for? It'll cool off again if you don't hurry."

She slammed the table. "Okay, you win. It's horrible, worse than my cooking. It tastes worse than mud. And that's not a compliment." That was a bit too harsh, right? He asked for it.

He smirked. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Aren't you the least offended?"

"Of course, it's not exactly candies and chocolates. But it shows that you actually cared about me." His lips curved into a smile.

"Now, hold on there, you're misinterpreting my actions." She waved her hands around. "We are old friends and dating, so I figure it won't hurt to be nice. That's all."

"Are you sure about that? Because I've other thoughts about it." He winked at her.

"I hope those thoughts aren't dirty. If they are, I won't hesitate to kill you," she warned him.

"For god's sake, we are both mature adults here. Well, I know I am."

She laughed. "I was testing you. I wanted to see if you were anything like Fez."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you really comparing me to Fez? I never understand why you went out with him."

"Don't worry, you passed the test. Fez's still the same Fez he was fifteen years ago." She paused. "He was very sweet when we dated. The gang didn't get it for the most part, but he was very sweet. Imagine the reaction of Donna's face when she finds out we are dating."

Eric considered Donna's reaction for a moment. "Donna would be furious. Really furious." He shook off the image.

"That's Donna for you. You're not planning to keep our relationship a secret forever?" she asked, her stomach tightened at the thought.

"No, of course not. I just don't think this is the right time."

She finally mustered up the courage to say what was on her mind. "Well, when is the right time? We've been seeing each other for two months now, and we haven't done anything intimate as yet. Intimate meaning revealing parts of your life that you didn't share with anyone. The best we had done was hold hands. We haven't even kissed." She carefully planned her words. "Eric, I understand the divorce has shaken you, but it has been four years. Donna has moved on, so should you."

"I guess I wasn't ready before. I'm sorry for dragging you into my mess." His voice wore down. "You should have voiced your concerns earliest if it upsets you that much."

"Eric, I didn't mean that. It's just that when we aren't having one of our crazy talks, you seem lost. And I want to change that." She looked at him in the eyes. "That's if you let me in."

"I'd like that." He wrapped his hand over hers.

_**OoOoO**_

The remaining hours were spent with small talks. Eric opened up the seal around his divorce, and told Jackie how it affected him. He told her about the time Donna sneaked around on him, and went to see a marriage counselor. Surprisingly, she listened to him, and she told him of her troubles with men. Together, they shared each other's burdens, and offered comfort when needed.

Jackie sat on the porch, head on Eric's shoulders. "You don't hate Donna, do you?"

He shook his head. "She did what I was afraid to do. She sought help, and wanted me to come along with her after I found out. I decline her help. I thought together, we can overcome anything. I couldn't be more wrong." His face softened.

"You did what you could do to save your marriage. I'm glad you and Donna are still on speaking terms. My boss' first, second, third, and fourth husbands aren't on the best terms."

"Your boss was married four times?"

"No, five times, I think. Does it make me selfish for being relief because of your divorce?" She bit her lips.

"Not really. You never wanted anything with me before. Why the sudden change?"

She replied, "That was before I got to know you."

Eric lifted her cheeks and inched closer to her. He claimed her mouth, hungry and fiercely. She tasted like chocolate and eggs. That must be the combination of the pancakes from before. He placed feather light kisses on her earlobe, she relaxed under him. His mouth found hers again, this time he kissed her forcefully, demanding access, which she allowed.

As he kissed her, he saw a piece of paper hanging from her purse. He broke the kiss, leaving a very confused Jackie. He picked up the note and read it.

"Is this true?" Eric showed her the note.

She lowered her eyes. "Eric, it isn't what it looks like. That was before I got to know you better."

"Oh, really? You went out with me because of a bet?" He refrained from yelling. It wasn't like him to scream.

She focused her gaze on him. "Eric, I'm sorry. Can't we forget about all of this?"

"Jackie, I can't deal with this, now. Just see yourself out." He spoke in a calm voice.

"Eric," she said, trying to explain her actions.

"Just go." His eyes glowed with anger.

What had she done?


	5. Novelette - Sparks Fly, Sparks Vanish

**Novelette - Sparks Fly, Sparks Vanish**

The light from the sun resembled floating embers when reflected across the lake. The water, a shimmering blue, blended with the deep callow of dawn, was a calming scenery to look at. Jackie sighed as she walked to the lake, the soles of her slippers crushed the pebbles in an undesired fashion. It was a chilly morning, but she needed to escape from her troubles, get away from her flat. So, she got in the car and drove until she reached here.

Her eyes wandered aimlessly at the lake. When the waves crashed with the tides, it made her sigh even more. They fitted perfectly - the waves with the tides, and so could she and Eric if he had let her explain things. There was a plausible explanation even if it didn't look like one was possible. Only if she was given a chance, that was all she wanted, a chance to make things right.

Then again, Eric was still suffering from his divorce, and he expected the worse possibilities to everything, especially when it came to her. They weren't always the best of friends, but they got along just fine. There wasn't a moment when their friendship - unknown to the rest of the gang - managed to get out control. Until now.

She tried calling him, but he avoided her. Her attempts at apologizing were in vain, much to her dismay. Why was he trying so hard to avoid her? Was what she did unforgivable? Maybe she was missing the point and he needed space. Time to think this over before he could make a decision, or maybe she needed to do something drastic to gain back his trust.

Moments like these were the ones that Jackie regretted the most. The moments where everything seemed to be falling apart, and all of the theories of making amends were failures. However, that wasn't the worst part thing: the regrets kept piling up and took her away from her life. No matter what she tried: working, creating new designs, shopping; nothing worked. Her mind always came back to his reaction: the distrust directed at her.

What was she to tell him? That the bet was made fourteen years ago, and the only one who knew about it was her? The chance of him accepting and believing that was slim. Nonetheless, she needed to do something about this. Letting him drown in false beliefs was killing her, and she needed... wanted to change that. He was either going to believe her or not. She was willing to accept either, as long as she cleared the confusion, assure him that she was no longer sixteen.

Back then, her feelings toward Eric were of hatred and boredom. She didn't understand him, actually she cringed at his taste, fashion, and his nerdiness. That wasn't her fault entirely, if he had been nicer to her, then maybe, she might have reconsider her thoughts at the time. Well, she couldn't change the past, but she can brighten the future. Better yet, the present.

Yes, she was going to do just after work.

_OoOoO_

Her brain was fried, inspiration lost, muse gone from forcing the ideas out.

Times like these were when she wished she hadn't quit her job as a television show host to become a fashion designer. As a television show host, she had access to pretty radical things such as the latest trends, and she could be herself. It wasn't as if she was forbid to her true self at her current job, but it had its perks and quirks too.

Hours would pass before she could sketch a worthwhile design. When she finished sketching, she usually threw it away, dissatisfied with her work. Wasted all those hours for nothing. It angered her that she was capable of such a thing. Nevertheless, she made up mind, after spending two years at this job, she was quitting. That didn't mean giving up on fashion; she was a lover of fashion, not a creator.

Where did that left her, she wasn't sure. However, if she worked her magic with her people's skills, then she could gain back her old job back or a better one. Now that was all decided, she just had to tell her boss. Great, that was going to be blast, she shook her head. Her boss wasn't one to react positive to bad news or any news given. If anything, she threw a tantrum, which was immature for her age. How the woman survived so long in the fashion world left her stunned.

Another crumple paper was added to the rejected pile. Jackie knew she had to clean it up or she was dead. Plus, she wanted to be on her boss' good side when she quit to get a good resume. A good resume was everything. As she finished tossing the last paper in the garbage, she mustered up the courage to quit. She wasn't usually like this, but spending time with Eric, some of his traits must have rubbed off her.

Eric, the mention of him, got her skittish. She stumbled across the floor, the content of the folder scattered across the floor. Luckily for her, the office was pretty much deserted due to the fashion show. She chose not to go, the timing couldn't be more wrong than now. Quickly, she picked the folder up, stacked the papers in, and went to her boss' office.

For the final time, she took a moment to reconsider her thoughts. Was this what she really wanted? Double-thinking about her rash decision, she was going to stick with her plan. She wanted this ever since she stepped into this building.

She heard a "come in" and stepped inside the room. There was still the cherry desk that anyone could barely make out since it was covered with papers. The same black leather chair, the same fine texture, was still the most prized possession of her boss. Two desks of the same cherry texture stood adjacent to each other, and were the tidiest of the furnitures in the room. The blinds, an ugly shade of blue, were drawn so that the light from the windows of the room reflected to the cabinet. Inside the cabinet were picture frames of her boss and her many lovers.

Nothing had changed from the first time she stepped inside this office, except for the new addition of pictures frames to the cabinet.

"Jackie, do you need something?"

She spun around at the voice: a deep husky sound. A strange voice for a woman, but oh well, there was nothing that she could do to change that.

She took a moment to choose the right words, and handed the folder to her boss. "Here's the new designs." She let out an awkward laugh. What was supposed to say? This job isn't for me anymore because, well, it's not fun and too stressful for me. Thankfully, she refrained from saying that, it was horrible.

"Great. You can go now." Her boss looked at her in a concern way. "Are you sure you don't have anything else to say?" Her nose was stuck in the designs, but she managed to drag her eyes for a few seconds, only to return them again.

"Yes, I've nothing to add," she managed to say. Her face was concealed without giving away anything. It was not as if she had a choice in the matter.

As she walked away from the room, she mentally slapped herself in the forehead. What was she thinking? She had no plans, no speech, nothing, but she was going to quit. It was the worst thing to crossed her mind, and she almost went through with it.

The reason why she almost did that horrifying act was easy. Jackie was trying to get rid of the reminders of Eric until later. Right now, she wanted to work. His face, those vivacious eyes of his replaced with sorrow, would flash before her as the seconds ticked off. Seeing those eyes made her want to vanish, burry herself in the burrow of the Earth. The thoughts she kept on having were unlike her, but the regrets were doing that to her, she knew that much.

Her lips quivered as she breathed his name on her lips. "Eric," she said, her voice breaking up, "I'm sorry for everything." She buried her head in her hands, and fought off the building tears. She wasn't going to embrace self-pitying, self-loathing, or any of its members. She was stronger than that, and she was going to dig herself out of the mess she had created.

Rewards or not, happiness or sorrows, hatred or love, weren't important to her. All she wanted was for him to be friends with her again, if anything else couldn't be negotiated. Their friendship shouldn't suffer because of a silly bet. She truly cared about it, and he did too. They rarely showed affection of any kind in public due to their reputation and differences when they were younger. Only until now did they really started displaying fondness more often without the worry intact.

In her book, that wasn't a lot to ask for. Was it really?

_OoOoO_

This feeling that emerged inside of her felt foreign. It was as if apples and pears were minced into a different fruit. Strange. Jackie didn't know what to do with this new feeling, she wasn't used to it, so she couldn't do what she normally did. Never in her life, did it crossed her that apologizing for something could have different feels to it. She always thought it had to do with regrets, deceive, and guilt. But it also made her feel cheerful that things would be alright again. She would no longer beat herself up about betraying Eric again.

Pondering of the endless possibilities, good and bad, she got in her car and stored those thoughts or later. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to have a safe drive. Driving had its ups and downs, but at times, it took her troubles away. Being in the car was all she needed. In this case, that wasn't entirely true. Both negative and positive thoughts surpassed her as she tried her hardest to keep her eyes on the road. Traffic was light which was a good thing for her; the faster she can deliver her message and put an end to this misunderstanding.

When thoughts of Eric entered her mind, she shoved them away, focusing on the awkwardness of work. How was she going to quit without making a fool of herself? Maybe she should make a pros and cons list of her job: what made it beneficial and what didn't. She ticked off the stress, the pressure, the hours in the cons, and placed the benefits, exposure, rewards in the pros. So far, she was neutral about quitting and staying. Both had aspects of fame, success, failure; one either make it or live to see the collapse of her dreams when it came to fashion. She cringed at the second possibility. She was not a quitter, she thought as she brought the car to a halt. Her job might be difficult, stressful, annoying at times, but she was going to stick it out for a few more weeks. She was going to reasoned with her boss, and maybe that would make things better for her. There was always quitting if that doesn't work.

Her lips curled upwards as she reached her verdict. Verdict? She laughed at her word choice as absurd as it was. Even though, 'verdict' was used in the wrong context, she could care less. It was the first time that a real laugh emerged from her mouth after that incident with Eric. Once again, as his name crossed her mind, it left her mind as soon as it arrived.

The life was sucked out of her as her feet refused to leave the car, but her head urged her to leave. Gathering the strength, she gently unbuckled the seat-bell, pushed the car-door open, and stepped outside. For a moment or so, she latched her vision at the house. Instead of staying on the house, her vision strayed to the plants. And there were mostly flowers.

Jackie quickly forced the judgement out of her head. If Eric liked flowers, who was she to judge? She stood on the mat, looking for Eric's car in the driveway, which she found. The car was a simple shade of red. Also, she saw another car. Maybe Eric got another car, she brushed off the thought. It probably meant nothing.

Habits were hard to break off. As she reached to grab the key from under the mat, she came up with nothing. Then she recalled that Eric changed the hiding spot due to unconventional reasons. Hesitating to press the buzzer or to ring the bell, she tried to relax under the cool comfort of the shed. Thinking long and hard about her decision, she pressed the doorbell a dozen times before she could retract her hands. Getting no answers, she was ready to leave until her foot accidentally touch the door. That sudden action caused a creak in the door.

Taking that as a sign not a precaution, she went inside. Once again, she found herself in the same situation as she was at work earlier: unprepared. What she was going to tell him? How was he going to react? What if Eric still saw her behavior in a pessimistic fashion? Was she willing to accept it? When she running through the possibilities, she thought she would be able to accept any outcome, but being here, she reconsidered her previous thoughts of the situation at hand.

She remained at the doorway, hands shaking vigorously, while her face showcased various expressions from cheerful to sorrow. This was a bad choice, she should leave now, and return later. Who was she kidding? She couldn't leave if she wanted, her common sense wasn't going to allow it. Nevertheless, whatever traits she stole from Eric or whomever, that wasn't going to let the old Jackie die. No, it was time for the old Jackie to resurface again, take away this pity of a person she had become, and enforce what she stood for: power. Power wasn't what she stood for, but she couldn't find a better substitution.

Those traits she had showed she was human. Yet, she couldn't let them take control of her thoughts and emotions because if that happened, she was never going to set matters straight. Rather than gaining all the recognition in the fashion world, she rather free her heart from this ache that took over. Also, she hated that he was angry with her, hated that he avoided her every time they crossed paths, hated that he cut off contacts with her. This had to stop. She was sure it brought misery to the both of them.

She could only speak for herself, but what she felt so far, she knew that Eric must be suffering more than her. He wasn't as strong as she was, she wondered if that had changed. Because he had remained well since his divorce with Donna. Whatever the case might be, she wasn't going to waste another second drowning herself in self-pitying. She was supposed to avoid self-pitying at all cost, but she was human and entitled to mistakes.

Those malicious stairs taunted her as she walked up the stairs. She forgot how much she hated those stairs. Avoiding those taunts from the stairs, she made it her destiny. She took several deep breaths in and out before she knocked on the door. Without much thought, she pressed an ear to the door, she heard chatters and laughter. She knew that laughter from anywhere; it was Eric. At least, he was happy or was he pretending in other's company?

Tired of standing, she brushed off the dust on the mat, and took a seat. She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them back, she saw Eric. She rubbed them several times, the friction between her hands and her eyes caused her eyes to water.

"..." Eric stared at her, then at the wall. "Jackie, what are you doing here?" he asked, his back turned away from her. His tone was as brutal as his position. His words seemed friendly, but they held a hint of resentment.

Jackie shivered at his reaction. She was expecting it, but he had no right to speak to her as if she was an animal. The least he could do was listen to her reasoning. She calmed herself down before speaking. She was here to make things right, not to create problems. "You don't look so good. It's still nice to see you." She took in his appearance: his eyes were a cherry color, she could see the bloodshot in them, his hair was in dire need of a trim, he was half-shaken, and he looked like he lost weight. The shirt hang loose on him, the pants was baggy on him, and that wasn't the style.

He looked worse than she did.

"Yeah, so what?" he said, his face toughened then softened. "I'm sorry, Jackie. This isn't a good time. Maybe we could discuss us another time. I, um, was really rash to react like that."

She held in his gaze. "Look, Eric, I came up here with one intention, and I'm going to say what I wanted to tell you a long time ago." Here goes, she told herself, you can do it. "I was stupid. I made that bet when I was -" She couldn't finish her sentence after she saw her.

"Jackie?"

Donna? Were they rekindling their love gain? She was such a fool to believe that everything was going to turn all right.

"Donna, it's good to see you again. I've to run. I remembered I've a new design to work on. Work, it sucks, I know." She faked a laugh.

"Jackie, before you leave, Eric has something to tell you. Don't you, Eric?" Donna punched him in the shoulders.

Jackie made a dash as she saw the affection shared between the two. She placed the key in the ignition and drove away. She was, will always be a fool.

_OoOoO_

"Where did she go?" Donna scratched her head in confusion. She turned her gaze toward Eric. She shot him a dirty look. "Did you tell her something before I got here?"

"Can we finish this discussion inside?" He went into the house, took a seat on the sofa, and stared at the walls. He needed to redo the walls; the paint was peeling off. That was for another time.

Donna followed him in pursuit. She took a seat beside him, put a hand on his lap, and forced him to look at her. As always, he avoided her gaze and appeared to be lost in the walls. Donna knew him better than most people, she knew when something was bothering him. When she received that unexpected call of his, she was skeptical at first. Then again, this was Eric, and he wasn't really one to call until something was urgent - a major change from when they first divorced. She used to have a maximum of seven phone calls from him, and frequent visits from him. But that changed as Eric realized that they were over. Officially finished.

She couldn't put her fingers on it, but something was definitely going on between Eric and Jackie. Eric did tell her that he needed advice regarding Jackie. At the time, she thought that he was joking around; Jackie and him were two peas in a pod, the polar opposites. Nothing could be going on between them. However, when Donna saw his appearance, she knew that something was going on. The last time she saw him like that was during the divorce, though he looked worse now. Should she offended or not, she didn't know.

"What happened between the two of you? You look like a wreck, and so does she." She forced his gaze to meet her. She was really worried for him. The two of them were inseparable until marriage. Still, her thoughts lingered on Eric and Jackie. When did that happen? She shrugged off the image. Eric had to explain, she was going to impel him to. "Eric?" she tried again, her voice laced with concern.

He breathed in a sigh of regret. "Nothing. Just forget everything."

"Eric? I took off a day for this. You aren't going to leave this room until you tell what happened between you and Jackie. You owed me a damn explanation."

"Nothing happened, okay? Just leave it at that. I'm sorry," he said. He wanted nothing more than to be alone right now. Even though, he called Donna here to talk things through. Find out what went wrong with their marriage? Find if he was the one who pushed people when they were close to him. Was he afraid of commitment?

Donna laughed, even if the situation didn't permit it. "You forget that I know you. Pretty darn well, I say. Just tell me, Eric. We're still friends, you know." She got up from the couch. "Want a beer? You do have those?"

He raised an eyebrow. "That'd be perfect."

"Good. I like what you have done with the place. It's different from when I lived here," she said. "Don't think you're off the hook. I want to know everything. Every measly details."

She went to the kitchen.

When Donna returned, she found Eric in the same position. He was a mess. She didn't want to say anything, but he reeked. When was the first thing he actually took a bath? The younger version of her would take no time to tell him that. Since she was married to him once, matured, she had to spare his feelings. It was the right thing to do.

She handed Eric the beer, which to, he muttered a quiet thank you. He took the cork out and gulped a mouthful of the content. While he placed the bottle on the table, he was ready to tell Donna his problems.

"How do I say this? I forgot how odd this whole thing is. I still can't process it all to this day. It's weird." He paused. "Jackie and I were seeing each other," he replied. Couldn't he have phrased the sentence better? We were having a blast would have been a conversation killer.

"Jackie and I were seeing each other." Why wasn't she surprised? She suspected it from the moment she saw Jackie at the doorway. Still, she couldn't help but feel... envious. Eric managed to gain a date, more like dates with Jackie. She took a few minutes before processing it all in.

"You and Jackie? You aren't lying to me, are you?" She just had to ask. It was possible she was interrupting this the wrong way.

"Why would I be lying? I've nothing to lose."

"What happened between the two of you? An argument of some sort?" Her curiosity was piqued. Jackie and Eric made an asinine pair. Jackie dated almost every guy in the group, this shouldn't be such a major surprise.

He gulped another mouthful of the beer before continuing, "You could say that. To phrase it better, she lied to me. I shouldn't really be surprise. It's Jackie. We didn't have what it takes to be a couple." His laughs were as dry as his tone. "This should have been put to an end earlier."

"Listen to yourself, you sound like an arrogant snob. Stop feeling sorry for yourself! It's not the greatest thing to be lied at, but did you let her explain herself before shoving her out of your life?" This wasn't the Eric she knew.

"I'm not the one to be blame. She lied to me. Why didn't she say anything earlier on. I would have understand." What was he saying? His anger was controlling his actions. Why did he let it? He was more furious at himself than he was at Jackie.

"She lied to you. Why would she do that? Maybe there's a good reason behind this all." She paused for a moment. "Look, I don't know what went down between the two of you, but you can't think that. It's unhealthy and immature. "

Eric was going to come clean now, he felt compelled to do just that. "I was rash in my decision. I took my anger out on her because it reminded me of the time my world collapsed. Our marriage fell apart. I blamed her without meaning to." It lifted off some of the burden off his chest. "She was here. To apologize," he whispered the last phrase.

"Eric, I'm sorry that our marriage failed. It had nothing to do with you. You always tried your hardest. I, solely, was the one to blame. The connection between us vanished, had been lost for a long time. I thought we could work it out, but I was wrong. It was wrong of you to blame Jackie. She had nothing to do with us." Saying all of that without taking a break was nothing new for her. She had to do that on a regular basic. Eric truly did cared about Jackie?

Eric expected that answer. Donna was one to be honest, brutal or not. That was one of the traits he loved about her. She was a gem, not his gem, he could see that now. The divorce had make wary about everyone and everything. Self-pitying was something he did often. Trusting someone was a difficult task for him. His behavior toward Jackie was unforgivable. He had a right to be angry, but he wasn't one to hold grudges. Her apologizes should have been listen to, even if he wasn't in the mood to do so. Something could be learn from doing so.

"I'm an absolute fool for behaving like a jerk. I've been feeling sorry for myself without considering Jackie's feelings in all of this. I've stooped to the lowest of the lows." He shook his head.

Donna rolled her eyes. "We all make mistakes. Some more than others. Shouldn't you go and apologize to Jackie?" she inquired, brows furrowed.

"Yes. I called you here to complain, and I haven't had the decency to ask you about your life."

"Why the hell are you being formal? Of course, it's not as formal as the people I meet with on a regular basic," she threw at him. "I've been great. I'm back with Randy, and I've been promoted. Couldn't ask for more."

"Oh, congrats." After five years, one would think that the awkwardness would diminish.

"We can always catch on our lives. But you should go and clear things up with Jackie." With her words, she urged him to leave.

Eric was shocked at her reaction. "Didn't the mention of Jackie and I shocked you? Shouldn't it? You're her best friend, and I'm your ex-husband."

"Just get out before I change my mind. If you're happy, then I've no problem with it. We have both moved on, and that's good. Now go!"

As Eric left the house, she sat in the sofa, and couldn't help but think was she wrong to have let him go.

_OoOoO_

The times of drowning in sorrows were over replaced by the soon times of happiness.

Eric was glad to ask for the help of Donna. She was always helpful with good intentions or not. He had been the one to see her emerge from a tomboyish little girl to a beautiful woman. Growing up with her just a few blocks away from him made them closer than ever. That was what caused his first at almost everything. Those were the good old times. Having her reinforce him that he had been a douche, not in words but actions finally woke up from this deep slumber of pity.

He made the right choice sharing his troubles with Donna. For exes, they were friendly and honest with the other. Right now, he focused his thoughts on Donna because he had no clues what his words to Jackie would be. Probably he was going to let her go the explaining first, then he would take a go at it. As much as he tried to convey his emotions, he couldn't. Anger was still there at Jackie for lying to him. She knew him, knew how he would react to any given situation. Yet, she couldn't tell him that she made a bet. He would have forgive her if she told him. That was all that he ever wanted: for her to be honest with him.

He brushed the thoughts away. The deed had always been committed, there was nothing he or anyone for that matter could do to change that. He remained optimistic - she had a good reason, she just had to. This was Jackie and she would do never anything to this degree unless she had some conflicts with herself. Conflicts of what types, he wasn't sure. Maybe of embarrassment, regrets, fulfillment, desires. Those were all he could think about.

Whatever passed through Jackie's mind, he was going to find out. They were both at fault here: she lied to him, he didn't listen to her reasoning. No one was a saint in this issue. Mistakes were made, but not fixed. That was going to change soon. He was going to fix them, and Jackie wanted to. Her visit earlier showed that.

The sun had disappeared behind black ominous clouds. That implied that a storm was heading, Eric almost gripped clear of the steering wheels. This can't really be happening. At this rate, he would be stuck in his car. Wait, he then remembered, Jackie lived about forty-five minutes drive from his location. There was a slight possibility that he could make it before the storm hits. He counted on that chance, he was going to take it.

_OoOoO_

Pellets of rain dripped down his car as Eric reached Jackie. He used his shirt to cover his hand as he rushed to Jackie's flat.

He pressed the buzzer once and waited. It was only a few minutes before it was opened. Jackie stood the doorway in a faded green dress, her hair was in a bun, she had done her makeup. There was a hint of regret in those deep brown eyes of her. Eric stood there, the words escaped from his throat. She looked stunning even in a simple dress. She looked great in anything. What was he thinking? He was here to listen and apologize, not to stare. There was a time for everything. This wasn't the time.

The right words weren't coming out of his mouth. No word was. Was he making another rash decision? What if Donna and Jackie pulled a prank on him? No, he told himself, he was over-analyzing the matter. At all cost, he was avoiding speaking to her. What was wrong with him? He wanted to hear her side of the story. So what was he doing standing here like an idiot?

Jackie was the one to break the silence.

"Eric," she drawled. "Do you want to come inside? It's pouring out there." She stepped out of the doorway, allowing him to have an easy access in. "You're really soaked. Come on in."

When he stepped inside, he wanted to go outside. For what reason, he wasn't so sure, but it had something to do with being scared. He noted her flat was the same since he visited: the same sea-foam green paint, the same dark leather chairs. It was clean, free from visible trash. His place had been a mess until he cleaned it when Donna came.

Eric stood there once again, not sure what to say. He didn't want to come inside and ruin her carpet with water. So, he remained on the doorway. Jackie looked at him, motioning for him to come inside. Stubborn as he was, he refused to dirty her flat. She understood that. He hoped he didn't give off the vibe of rudeness. It wasn't his intention.

Nonetheless, he decided to come in after Jackie handed him a towel and pointed to the bathroom.

_OoOoO_

Eric stared at the mirror, he saw the emotions draining out of his eyes. The vibrant shade of hazel irises were gone. Instead, two pitiful irises glared back at him. Donna was right, he looked like crap. He washed his face in hopes of adding a flush to his face. His acts were more eloquent than his words, or that was what he thought. His appearance dominated over both.

Satisfied with himself, he took a last look at the mirror, and was happy to see that a little color was added to his face. It wasn't what he wanted, but at least, he didn't look as half-bad as before. Where was that smell coming from? He lifted his arms up and found that he was the one responsible. Dandy, this turned out to be a great start. Sighing, he looked for odor fillers to blast the smell away. Jackie's perfumes stared back at him. Was he really going to use perfumes? Jackie's ones?

The fragrance was sprayed on him before he changed his mind.

Eric returned from the bathroom, a cheerful feeling engulfed his senses. The feeling disappeared when it came to his attention he was wearing perfumes. Perfumes that belonged to Jackie. He shook off the realization.

"You're back." Jackie scrunched up her nose at the smell. "Is that my Christian Dior's Poison? It sure smells like it."

Eric managed a quiet chuckle. "I don't know what you're talking about." He braced a foot on the walls, and surprisingly didn't receive an evil look from Jackie. So, she knew her perfumes from the mere smell. Women were strange creatures. It looked if she wasn't going to say anything other than small talks. He had to start this conversation on the right track.

"Yeah, I believe you," she added sarcastically. "So, why are you here? Not that you aren't welcome. I just need to know."

This was it, he told himself. You can do it, he gave himself a virtual pat on the back. "You look swell. Are you going somewhere?" His word choice needed work.

"For a matter of fact, yes. I've a dinner date with a colleague."

"Oh," he muttered, "Well before you go, I think we should talk things through." His back faced her. He needed to set his priorities straight.

"Okay." She lowered her gaze to the floor before lifting it upwards again. Was he here to talk about that incident?

Eric looked at her, his eyes locked with hers. "As I said earlier, I was too rash in my decision. Because of that, I didn't consider your feelings. Now, I'm giving you the chance to explain things, and I'll listen." He clasped his hands behind his back and paced around. Remaining still was a difficult choice at the moment.

Jackie half-listened to him. Half of her attention was directed to her thoughts. The only thing she heard was 'listen.' Listen to what, she wanted to ask, but didn't want to look like a fool for not listening. "Go on," she urged him on.

"I want to, but you have to tell me about the bet." He spoke in a brash manner. His word needed more texture, less harshness. "I'm here to listen. I promise I won't make a hasty decision." Better.

She seated herself on the couch, her fingers trailed over the armrest. "The bet." She stood corrected. He was here to talk about the bet. "I really don't know how to phrase this better. We weren't always the best of friends, because of that, I'd make fun of you just for laughs. It seems stupid, but you know me. What I'm trying to say is -" That smell again of musk. "Are you using my perfume?"

They were getting somewhere until that damn mention of the perfume.

Guess he had to tell her now. "Actually, yes, I am." That wasn't so bad.

"Wait, you came here and used my perfume? That was a gift! How could you?" The nerves he had to use her perfume. Just a minute ago, she was going to apologize and now, she didn't want to. Eric Forman was incompetence to do anything. He was an idiot.

He adverted an eyebrow at her sudden outburst. He could see the anger fumbling out of her. All for a perfume. "Can we forget about this? There are more important things we need to discuss. That perfume has a horrible stench." That last statement was a mistake on his part.

"You used my perfume and have the nerves to say it's horrible? How dare you!"

"Jackie, I'm sorry." He sighed. "Can we please forget all about this? I was in dire need of a fragment, and your Poison's bottle was the closest thing to meet my needs," he explained his situation.

She flashed him a look. "Fine," she muttered under clenched teeth, "This time, you're off the hook. Do this again and you won't see daylight ever again."

"Got it." She was too defensive and took things too seriously.

"As I was saying, I made the bet a long time ago. It was the first time I saw you. You were a scrawny kid. Nerdy too. I thought it would be funny." She laughed as she was awarded with precious memories.

His eyes narrowed. "What?"

"I know. Why did I follow it? I don't know. I guess I thought it was pretty darn funny." That felt better.

"You followed through a bet you made to yourself twelve years ago?"

Jackie nodded. "Yeah. It was fourteen years to be accurate. I'm really sorry, Eric." She meant every words that came out of her mouth. "I was stuck in my teenage years. I didn't consider your feelings or mine. I believed that it would be like old times. It never occurred to me that there was a slight possibility of enjoying myself. Falling for you."

"What are you saying, Jackie? Care to elaborate?"

She bit her lips, tasting the blood on her lips. Crap, her lips would be swollen. "Eric, I followed through my list. I quit my job, ended my relationship with Fez, because of a list. No, that's not true." She paused and swallowed. "The only thing I wrote in that damn list was to go on a date with you. I did that. But I didn't predict that those times would be fantastic, or that I would actually fall for you. I think I love you. It's too early to tell."

"Are you joking? I really don't know what to say. This is foreign to my ears," Eric said, rubbing his chin. Rough. He needed to shave.

"Why would I joke? Eric, I really don't have the time to pull pranks on you anymore. I care about you."

"I've to sleep on it." How was he supposed to respond to her confession?

_OoOoO_

It was almost a week when Eric turned his Ford's Escort smoothly to Point Place and drove to Jackie's flat. The flat looked the same as it always did. Tall, lean, spacious. He came out of the car, and leaned against it. The light from the sun made it to him, but he was protected with dark shades.

Stealing a few more glances at the building, he was surprised to see that Jackie drew back the shutters, welcoming a serene atmosphere to the flat. Before the building was pretty much deserted, gloomy and dark. Then again, it shouldn't be a surprise, Jackie would never let grief doomed her happiness. Unlike him, she was stronger, but she veiled her vulnerabilities. Very good. If he hadn't spend that much time with her, he would have been ignorant of certain issues.

To everyone else, she appeared as a head-strong woman, but on the inside, she battled with her own demons. Making the right choices. Forgiving her dad after all he did. Accepting every obstacles that were thrown in her way and overcoming them. Jackie was more than an attractive woman; she had conflicts, had a successful career, had an attitude that was in her favor, and so much more. Naming all of her amazing traits would take a while, and time was precious.

He walked slowly to the flat, hands shoved in his pant's pockets. His eyes leered to the garbage where he found unfinished designs: various sketched or half-sketches drawings. These were really good, he thought. No wonder she remained in the fashion industry. To his knowledge, he didn't get it why she threw them away. If he were her, he would have kept his sketches, bad or good. Hence, why he wasn't in the fashion business.

Not that he cared about fashion. Fashion never remained the same: every few months, it changed. And the new outfits usually were a slight modification. Why anyone spend worthless money on junk like that, he didn't want to know. Okay, he wasn't that knowledgable about fashion, but he has a sister who followed the trends, has an ex-wife who indulgence in the latest collection occasionally, and then there was Jackie. The clothing industry did know how to appeal to females. Buy this now, then buy more exquisite clothes later should be their slogan.

Those thoughts better not get near Jackie, he warned himself.

_OoOoO_

Jackie opened the door, shook her head when she saw Eric smiling to himself.

"Eric," she yelled, sketchpad in her hands. "Are you going to stay there?"

He moved away from his car and flashed her a grin. "Yeah, I'll be there." He showed her the papers he gathered from the trash. "These are really good," he pointed to the papers.

Jackie sent a scrutinizing look to the papers. "Thanks, Eric for digging through my trash. I really appreciate it. Those designs were - didn't make it. The designs lacked glamor, style. Something that you wouldn't understand." She sighed.

"I really don't know what you're talking about, but I accept." He moved his shoulders exasperatedly. "So, I - I've reconsider my previous thoughts. You're forgiven. Am I forgiven?"

"Forgiven for what? For using my perfume? I don't think so." She pursed her lips together.

"Why are you bringing up that perfume again? We haven't seen each other for a week, and that's what you bring up."

She laughed. "Oh, Eric. You believe everything you hear." She moved closer to him. "And it depends. I'm joking. You're forgiven, but you still have to do something to make up for using my perfume. Maybe doing my shopping, or better yet, trying on my designs."

"This isn't how we are supposed to react. Anyone placed in our situation would take more time to trust the other, and definitely not joke around. What's wrong with us?" It was as if he was asking himself rather than her.

"I guess, but we are Jackie and Eric. Not everyone would react like us."

"Where do we go from here now?" Eric asked, his question was an obvious one.

Jackie licked her upper lips. "I don't know. Start from where we left off. That's a good start as any."

"Jackie, I'm a mess. You should know that. Do you want to spend your time with me?" He spoke in a quiet tone.

"You will be my mess," she added, her knee brushed against his thigh. "All mine."

He brushed her hair tenderly with his thumb. "Mess? I like the sound of that."

She leaned against him, his other hand tightened around her, but she liked it. "Where do you see us in the future?"

"Maybe two kids, three kids. You gain a few pounds," he murmured, his lips against her hair. "I really don't know nor do I want to know. I want to be surprise."

"I should kill you for saying that. I will never gain any extra pounds, pregnant or not. Bearing children will never do that to me, I won't allow it." She looked at her figure, up and down, sideways and smiled. There was no way she was going to gain weight. It was forbidden. Eric might be joking but he shouldn't have say that. Offensive was his joke.

"So, you do want kids?" he murmured softly.

She thought about it. "Yes, I would. Someone has to carry my exceptionally good fashion genes."

"If we were to get married, I would want my kids to be into science."

She scoffed at his demand. "I would say no, but I'm willing to compromise. Fashion must be a treasure of the kids."

Eric silenced her as he brought her lips down to his. Jackie returned his kiss with a deep longing and passion.

"If we do have kids, they should do what they want to do." He pulled away from the kiss.

"Yeah."

She pulled him in for another kiss; he relaxed under her lips.

* * *

**A/N: **_This is officially the end. This has been rewritten many times before I was satisfied with it. I think I made Jackie and Eric too immature, but that is how I interpret the characters. Donna probably didn't sound like Donna. The theme is humor, so even though, mistrust was introduced, I skid around it. Anyways, thanks for the reviews, alerts, favorites, and reads. Thanks to ColorM for being the one to leave a review on every chapter so far. Thanks to everyone._


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